Friday Twitter Tips – Marketing, Publicity, The Funny and Query Tips, Which Will Never Die
Taps microphone. Hello?
Shields eyes from spotlight. Anyone here?
There’s a drunk slumped at a table with an empty bottle of Wild Turkey, a suburban mom with a tiny bit of spit-up on her shoulder and a man whose thousand yard stare can only mean he’s at the end of writing a first draft. Thanks for sticking around, guys. Sorry for the delay. Traffic was a nightmare.
Where have I been, you ask? Working on the sequel to STILLWATER (coming Fall 2015), which means I’ve been procrastinating like a mofo. My favorite form of procrastination has been researching book marketing, which says to engage your readers/fans through social media–Twitter, Facebook, Blog–which I haven’t been doing because I feel guilty I’m not working on my sequel.
The good news is, the sequel is coming along. It’s still a hot mess, but it’s getting there. I’ve also learned a few things about book marketing. Here’s what I’ve learned:
Facebook isn’t nearly the marketing dynamo everyone thinks it is. The posts on my page have very little reach, even when I share it on my personal page and my friends share it. Why? Because Facebook wants me to pay for promotion.
Heard the “you must have at least 2,500 Twitter followers” stat again this weekend. Apparently, this magic number will be the deciding factor for publisher’s sales/marketing departments if they are on the fence about buying your book. Still think its a specious piece of advice.
Blogging is more difficult when your posts need to be more than just some random woman on the internet posting her thoughts about books. I have to look at everything I post through the “How Will This Help/Hurt My Book Marketing” lens, which has sucked what little blog creativity I had out the window.
But, there’s always Friday Twitter Tips. No surprise my favorite tweets focus on craft and marketing/promotion these days. But, there are still a few query tips because they never, ever die.
Craft
How to be a plotter even if you’re a pantser http://t.co/j0qX16uYUh
— Bridget-Now Novel (@nownovel) October 27, 2014
How to Write a Synopsis When Your Novel Has Lots of Characters http://t.co/DNb1ptG6Tn
— Writer's Digest (@WritersDigest) October 14, 2014
Publicity/Marketing
Book promotion article re: free days – recommended by @authorStacyHoff http://t.co/xWUTxXrHHc #WW #amwriting #authors #books
— Stacy Hoff (@authorStacyHoff) October 29, 2014
"Yes, Agents Google Writers." Plus: do you know the optimal times to post to social media? #mondayblogs http://t.co/PhYVn105b6
— Carly Watters (@carlywatters) October 20, 2014
Authors dealing with media! This is a concise list for what an author’s website should include! via @DigiBookWorld
http://t.co/28NVdw97yb
— Liza Dawson Assoc. (@LizaDawsonAssoc) September 5, 2014
Smart author tips on how to interact with bookstore staff re: signing copies, facing books out etc. http://t.co/0cuKDy0DZA
— Carly Watters (@carlywatters) August 19, 2014
Create Your Writer Platform — find readers, make connections, and sell more books http://t.co/R9fznrggK4
— Writer's Digest (@WritersDigest) August 16, 2014
Because Query Tips Never Die…
Please stop using "snarky" or "feisty" to describe witty, non-passive female characters. They don't mean what you think they mean. #querytip
— Sarah LaPolla (@sarahlapolla) August 8, 2014
Do you know what can always be cut from a query? How you found out about me, and how you "understand that I rep X genre." #pubtip
— Laura Zats (@LZats) August 19, 2014
Agents share their query letter pet peeves: http://t.co/scnurPYLQb
— Writer's Digest (@WritersDigest) August 14, 2014
I'm not taking unsolicited queries at the moment, but I just got one addressed "Dear Literary Agent." Don't do that. #pubtip
— Eric W. Ruben, Esq. (@EricRubenLawyer) August 11, 2014
Things you don't need to do before #querying: 1. Don't pay someone to design a cover, or a book trailer.
— Jennie BOOloboy (@JennieGoloboy) August 8, 2014
Things Only Writers Find Funny
19 Signs You’re "That Guy" In Your Writer’s Workshop: http://t.co/WxihEKevQi @BuzzFeedBooks @GuyInYourMFA
— Penguin Random House (@penguinrandom) October 9, 2014
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